Principal Lucia Orduz took the reins at Public School 42 in the Bronx five years ago. (Barry Williams for New York Daily News)

When it comes to leading a New York City public school, there are just some things you can’t learn in principal boot camp.

So says Principal Lucia Orduz, who has gotten quite a bit of on-the-job training in the five years since she took the reins at Public School 42 in the Bronx.

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The Claremont Village elementary school had been designated a “focus school,” meaning it was in danger of closing.

The rookie principal mounted an aggressive search for resources from beyond the building, efforts that helped transform the elementary school — and earned her a Daily News Hometown Heroes nomination from the United Federation of Teachers.

Orduz, 37, arrived at her first principal placement after several years as a bilingual teacher to first- and second-graders. During those years, she was chosen to coach to other teachers and eventually, decided to become a principal.

Equipped only with info she’d gleaned from a summer-long principal training course, Orduz arrived at PS 42 and quickly realized what was needed: some help from outside.

“It’s just this instinct that you have, that this is the direction that we need to go in. This is what’s needed,” said Orduz, recalling how she asked for more. “We have to be more aggressive in looking for the resources. The resources are out there.”

New York Daily News Hometown Heroes Logo for 2018. (New York Daily News)

Orduz enabled P.S. 42 to become a “community school,” which allows them to collaborate with BronxWorks, a social services organization that awarded the school a $1 million grant to use over the course of four years with the goal of improving school attendance.

P.S. 42 also partnered with the United Federation of Teachers and the Department of Education for additional funding.

Thanks to her persistence, a dentist sets up shop in the school auditorium three times each school year, children receive free eye exams, eyewear and winter coats, and there’s a food pantry open to families.

“The money doesn’t need to be invested in higher-ups,” Orduz said. “It needs to be invested in people that are going to be hands-on in the school building, that can work with our kids and respond to the situations that we have.”

Her parents made education a top priority, she says, but some of the struggles her students face are similar to the ones she faced growing up in the same borough.

Roughly 30% of the school’s students live in temporary housing and 30% have special learning needs. Prior to winning the community school grant, the school had less than 90% attendance on any given day.

Orduz said her school brings out the best in its students and faculty, and that means building a team of support and care for each student.

“She gives out good information. She’s tough with criticism, but it’s constructive criticism, which is a plus because you always want to be growing,” Solis said. “Parents have (also) noticed the small changes. … It’s a good feeling when you hear parents say, ‘I don’t want to leave.’”

However, Orduz said the work isn’t done yet.

The next step for her is improving academics and the achievement gap of her students compared to those in wealthier districts.

About 30% of students currently test at the state level in math and English, up from single digits before Orduz arrived, but she sees lots more room for improvement.

“You see schools in other areas of New York City performing at higher levels and yes, you can say, well, their parents have better jobs or income. or there’s more quality conversations at home. But we cannot just give up, or use those as excuses,” Orduz said. “I think that it starts with a sense of self-confidence that we try and instill into our students … a feeling of safety, a feeling of trust, a feeling of support. When those things are in place, I think children can flourish.”